Cooking With Ralphhttp://www.cookingwithralph.com
Restaurant Reviews and recipesFri, 16 Feb 2018 19:19:34 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4https://i0.wp.com/www.cookingwithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/cropped-logo-350-x-120-pixel-Copy-2.png?fit=32%2C32Cooking With Ralphhttp://www.cookingwithralph.com
3232Zafran Indian Bistro, City Centre Mirdifhttp://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/16/zafran-indian-bistro-city-centre-mirdif/
http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/16/zafran-indian-bistro-city-centre-mirdif/#respondFri, 16 Feb 2018 19:19:34 +0000http://www.cookingwithralph.com/?p=8500I went to have dinner few days ago at Zafran Indian Bistro located in City Centre Mirdif.

I was also happy to see some new dishes in the menu.

The food was delicious and the service was very good.

They served us at the beginning some chutneys that weren’t spicy and I was very happy about that.

Some with beetroot, with papaya, with mango, date syrup with tamarind, etc…

The Rocket Feta Salad was very fresh!

The Papdi Chaat was divine

It was my favorite dish of the evening.

The Rawa Fish Fry is a new addition to the menu.

It was nice but a bit too spicy for me.

We also ate the Ajwaini Prawns that are a new item in the menu.

It was spicy but mouthwatering and despite its spiciness I still ate it as I enjoyed it so much.

The Murgh Anari Seekh is also a new item in the menu.

I chose it because it had pomegranate but actually I didn’t feel the pomegranate at all.

I went on Monday with my friend to have dinner at a new Hidden Gem called BB Social Dining located at Gate Village 8 in DIFC.

Once you arrive, enter at the right, there is a Valet Parking but you can also access it from the podium level.

BB Social is very nicely decorated, it is on 3 floors with a bar, indoor and outdoor seating on all the levels.

When we reached, we went first to have a drink at the Bar till our table was ready

Then when the manager came to escort us to our table, I asked him what is the meaning of BB, he have us the full explanation which I will not disclose here so when you visit them, you can ask him directly.

I can just tell you that BB comes from Habibi with, Bao, Bites, BBQ, etc..

The service was beyond amazing, a very friendly team

Let’s start with the Bites.

I have always eaten Hummus but honestly never thought about a green hummus.

What a great idea Chef by doing a Super Green Hummus with Edamame, Tahini and Spinach.

A very healthy and delicious hummus!

A Premiere!

The Spicy Beef Tartare was so tasty!

Now let’s talk about the Bao

I will start with them from the left to the right, their names is very funny

Habibti: Softshell, Crab, Watercress, Jalapeno Dressing

Crispy Duck: Foie Gras, Cucumber, Lime Hoisin

This is BB: Short Ribs, Tempura Shallots, Chilli

They were all nice but our favorite was the Crispy Duck, it was heavenly tasty.

Back to the Bites

On the right Paddron Pepper, on top Crispy Glazed Sprouts and on the left Cauliflower Popcorn with Truffle Tofu Sauce.

Not a fan of pepper, I preferred the crispy glazed sprouts and the cauliflower popcorn.

So much flavor and original dishes…

Let’s move to the BBQ.

The Veal Ribs with Wasabi Apple Relish was tender and flavorful.

We enjoyed the Spicy Fish with Mint Yogurt.

Oh and now let me tell you about these skewers that you must order when you visit BB Social Dining.

I highly highly recommend you to check it out, not only you will love their cuisine that is a fusion between Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine but also the ambiance.

The team will make sure that you will enjoy your night to the max.

Never seen such a great service in Dubai so far.

Am going back again there very soon to try more dishes and to re enjoy my evening

]]>http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/14/bb-social-dining-difc/feed/0Sugar Factory at City Walkhttp://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/14/sugar-factory-at-city-walk/
http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/14/sugar-factory-at-city-walk/#respondWed, 14 Feb 2018 18:35:29 +0000http://www.cookingwithralph.com/?p=8431I went last Saturday to have lunch at Sugar Factory located at City Walk.

It is very nicely located, the service was very good and they have a very delicious menu

I started with this huge Goblet called Happily Ever After that is made of Passion Fruit, Green Apple and Wild Mint.

It was amazing!

My friend took the Raspberry Watermelon Mojito and he was very happy from his choice.

There is some candy fruits in them

When I saw these colorful sliders in the menu, I couldn’t resist and I ordered them.

The Sugar Factory Rainbow Sliders are a must try when you visit Sugar Factory, City Walk.

There is one beef patty, one grilled chicken, one fried chicken, one buffalo fried chicken and one fried fish!

Then we ate this fresh Chicken Caesar Salad.

The waiter recommended us the Popcorn Shrimp Margarita and we thanked him for his recommendation.

It was tasty and crunchy.

Let’s move to the main courses

I ate these Grilled Lamb Chops.

The lamb chops were so tender and so tasty.

Another dish that I highly recommend.

My friend love to eat Italian cuisine.

He ordered this Fettuccine with Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo.

The portion was very big and he old me that he loved it.

Then when it was time to choose a dessert, I was attracted by the color of the Sugar Factory’s Cotton Candy.

They also have huge Milk Shakes that you must try, we couldn’t do it this time as we ate a lot and we were so full.

They also sell candies, Dum Dum Donuts and some other sweets that you can take away with you home.

I highly recommend you to visit Sugar Factory at City Walk branch.

I am going back very soon, there are so much dishes that I want to try like Eggs Benedict, Activated Charcoal Waffles, Pancakes, etc…

]]>http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/14/sugar-factory-at-city-walk/feed/0A Day at Kempinski Palmhttp://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/14/a-day-at-kempinski-palm/
http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/14/a-day-at-kempinski-palm/#respondWed, 14 Feb 2018 18:11:39 +0000http://www.cookingwithralph.com/?p=8409Last Friday, I went to spend my day at the Pool and Beach of Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah.

They are doing a special offer that includes Pool & Beach access with any of the below element

I went last week to Beluga Beach Restaurant located at Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah.

The restaurant is classy and chic, very nicely decorated.

You have the option to sit indoor or outdoor, during the day while sitting outdoor you can see the beach in front of you.

Beluga Beach Restaurant have recently launched an Evening Brunch from Monday to Saturday from 7pm to 11pm.

They have 2 packages:

AED 549 per couple

AED 749 per couple with White or Red Wine

This Fresh Hot Bread was so yummy!

I loved it so much…

Let me tell you now how works the Evening Brunch

There are 4 Starters that will be served at your table.

The Dakos is made of rye bread, feta cheese, Kalamata Olives and Tomato.

It was delicious but I would add more feta cheese.

La Cecina de Leon was nice.

But you would tell me, what is Cecina?

Cecina is a meat that has been salted and dried by air, sun or smoke.

You take a piece of bread, you put tomato sauce and a slice or 2 of La Cecina de Leon, and you enjoy

The Fried Calamari with Tzatizki Sauce was so fresh and crunchy

The Grilled Octopus was chewy and had a blend taste.

I informed the Chef about it and he will improve the recipe…

Then you have to choose between a Pasta or a Risotto.

I chose the Risotto Nero with squid, octopus, red wine and shallots.

It was enjoyable.

For the main course you can choose 2 per couple.

The Sicilian Chicken was exquisite.

I loved so much the Kalamata olives in the dish

And for the other main course, we chose the Seabass Fillet.

The Seabass was very nicely cooked, had the correct amount of spices.

And the waiter brought us by himself a third main course

A Slow Cooked Oyster Blade.

To be honest, that was my favorite dish from all 3.

Then to end, the desserts will be served on your table.

The Beluga Cheesecake is a must…

The Chocolate Mousse with Dulche de Leche was so fresh and yummy.

And I missed taking picture of the Yogurt Pannacotta, it needed to be a bit more sweet.

Now that Valentines is at the door, you can take your loved one to enjoy a great memorable evening

]]>http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/10/belluga-beach-restaurant-kempinski-palm/feed/0Alice Pizza, La Mer, Dubaihttp://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/04/alice-pizza-la-mer/
http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/04/alice-pizza-la-mer/#respondSun, 04 Feb 2018 19:45:29 +0000http://www.cookingwithralph.com/?p=8331I went few days ago to try the new pizza place called Alice Pizza (pronounced “Ah-LEE-Cheh”) that opened its door few days ago at La Mer, Dubai.

Each customer can choose which and how many pizzas to eat, according to the sale by weight.

Alice Pizza brings in the concept of sliced pizza by weight.

In fact, according to the Roman tradition, pizza is not to be sold in slices, but cut according to the customer’s instructions, then weighed and tasted.

This modality allows everyone to taste many flavours, in the preferred quantity.

Small slices of different flavours, for a true pizza tasting, or a large amount of one’s favourite flavour.

According to this intuitive and simple concept, customers can give free rein to their hunger and craving for pizza.

Alice is the direct outcome of the Product: years of experience have led to an artisan production process that is reproducible in every point of sale.

The secret is in the dough that has remained unchanged for more than 20 years and is characterised by a very small amount of yeast: they use about 2.5 g of yeast per 1 kg of dough.

Their pizzas are lighter and crispier with a lot of different flavors.

They make their slow rise pizza in a traditional way adding all their fantasy to it.

On the left the Marguerita, in the middle Zucchini, Tomatoes and Buffalo Mozzarella and on the right Anchovies and Tomatoes.

Different taste and different flavors.

My favorite of these 3 is the Anchovies as the pizza was a bit salted.

Then we tried the salad in a pizza

Salmon and Arugula Salad and Shrimp and Arugula Salad.

That was original and tasty.

Potato and Bacon on top, Spicy Aubergine in the middle, Potato and Rosemary below.

Yum, love these original flavors, never ate pizzas with these toppings before

And don’t forget to try their special bread with Nutella

I loved their new concept by weight.

I tried a lot of new flavors today and I still have more flavors to try soon.

]]>http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/04/alice-pizza-la-mer/feed/0The Meat Co., Souk Al Baharhttp://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/03/the-meat-co-souk-al-bahar/
http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/03/the-meat-co-souk-al-bahar/#respondSat, 03 Feb 2018 19:53:56 +0000http://www.cookingwithralph.com/?p=8349The Meat Co. is an elite brand of steakhouse and has two (2) branches in Dubai, one in Madinat Jumeirah and one in Souk Al Bahar.

Both of the locations are amazing.

On Friday, I decided to go and have lunch at the branch of Souk Al Bahar as it is not very far from home.

We sat outside in the great weather, what a great day it was.

We had a great and amazing lunch with a view on the Dubai Fountain and we even had the chance to see one show.

The Service was wow, Jackson who was in charge of our table did a great job and made sure that our experience at The Meat Co. will be memorable

I started with the Brasilian Saudade because it contains Passion Fruit and I love it.

Whenever I see any mocktail with passion fruit, I immediately choose it.

The Rib Meat Cigars was presented the same way as a real cigar would be served in a wooden box.

The braised rib meat was so tender and with a lot of flavors, so tasty!

The Salt & Pepper Calamari were also very fresh, soft from inside and crunchy from outside.

It has been the house favorite for a decade.

Oh and here is the Lobster & Crab Salad.

A guest from another table approached me to ask me what is it so I told her that it is a salad.

She was impressed by the presentation.

A puff pastry on top of the fresh lobster and crab meat with tomato, cucumber and avocado, not forgetting the mouthwatering dressing.

A must try!

Then the waiter recommended me the Fillet 300g from the Great Plains of the USA, 150 days grain feed beef.

I requested them to cook it for me on medium cook

And as a side I took chips and bearnaise sauce.

I even asked them to add me mushroom and truffle butter as I love the truffles taste.

It was so juicy and yummylicious

I enjoyed so much my meat…

My wife likes always to eat the meat well done.

She asked Jackson on what could be the best meat to eat on well done cook and here recommended her the Rib eye 300g from the Great Plains of the USA, 150 days grain feed beef.

It was a great choice! Thank you Jackson for your choice.

Although I like to eat my meat only on medium cook, I tried the Rib-eye and it was also very tender.

Reaching the end, we have to end a meal by a sweet note.

I ordered the Nutella Cheese Cake Millefeuille and I was very happy from my choice.

First the presentation was wow and secondly the taste was so good

I highly recommend you to eat at The Meat Co., you will enjoy your meal

]]>http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/03/the-meat-co-souk-al-bahar/feed/0Catch Dubai, Fairmont Dubaihttp://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/01/catch-dubai-fairmont-dubai/
http://www.cookingwithralph.com/2018/02/01/catch-dubai-fairmont-dubai/#respondThu, 01 Feb 2018 19:50:31 +0000http://www.cookingwithralph.com/?p=8316I went few days ago to CatchDubai located at the Fairmont Dubai.

Catch Dubai is on the First Floor but the access is from outside the hotel from the lobby side and serves Japanese Cuisine and Sushi.

Indulge in the city’s most energetic beats straight from the heart of Latin America with Catch Dubai’s Havana Nights.

The contemporary restaurant successfully fuses great food, service and an exceptional scene which appeals to the tastes of today’s modern diner.

Catch Dubai incorporates influences from a myriad of regions where seafood is central to the culinary culture.

Immerse yourself at the celebrity hotspot every Wednesday from 7pm-2am and dance the night away to original Cuban melodies brought to you live by renowned band CubaChe, and practice your best salsa, bachata, and merengue moves.

The Smoked Edamame with real charcoal were amazing.

The taste of the marinade was so tasty!

A must try…

These Short Ribs Tacos are irresistible.

You will eat your fingers after eating them

The Crispy Shrimps were so yummy.

Oh and these Korean Fried Chicken Bao were so fresh and tasty!

Yum Yum and Yum!

When the waiter have put these Truffle Fries on our table, the smell of truffle was everywhere and I love it so much!

I enjoyed them so much as I am addicted to Truffles…

I loved the presentation of the Spicy King Crab Pasta.

The squid ink pasta with king crab meat was served in the shell of the king crab.

The sauce was so delicious…

And it was divine!

You will never forget the taste

These tender Short Ribs are cooked on low fire for 48 hours.

When I was eating it and enjoying it with the puree that was below it, I was wondering what could this sweet puree made of.

Now when I was checking in the menu, I found out that it is a sweet potato puree.

I love having a very good breakfast and what I like also is to have a breakfast anytime of the day!

I went this morning to Pantry Cafe located at Bay Square in Business Bay and had an amazing breakfast…

Pantry Cafe is very nicely decorated and the staff are friendly.

They have a very nice menu whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Their menu is very appetizing, I ate the below this morning but I will go again soon to try more dishes

I started with this Dulcey Mocha made of Valrhona Dulcey, Steamed Milk and Espresso.

I enjoyed it so much!

Then as we were so hungry, I wanted to order viennoiseries, one for each of us but then the waitress suggested us to order the Morning Bakers Basket that assorted viennoiseries, muffin, sour dough toast, rye bread, home-made nut butter and Sarabeth’s preserve.

It was a great choice, the viennoiseries were so fresh and I love so much their home-made nut butter and was so pleased that it was home-made.

Myself at home, I do it the nut butter myself and I do not buy the ready ones that are processed and full of sugar and palm oils!

Their nut butter was very tasty…

Their Hot Chocolate is made with Valrhona Chocolate and is perfect!

Today I wanted to try a a new egg benedict and I chose the Egg Benedict with Toasted Wheat Germ English Muffin, Sauteed Spinach and Lemon Hollandaise.

They use Organic Eggs, wow.

It was different from those I ate before because of the sauteed spinach!

So delicious and the salad on the side was very fresh with an amazing dressing.

And now while writing my review, I am still craving them

My friend ordered the Egg Benedict with Toasted Wheat Germ English Muffin, Smoked Salmon and Lemon Hollandaise and he was very pleased of the taste!

While I was waiting for my pancake to be ready, I saw on their a picture of a Red Velvet Cappuccino and as I love red velvet I decided to order it.

It was amazing!

This heavenly Pancakes with wild berries, banana, Dulche de Leche, salted caramel ice-cream and Valrhona chocolate sauce is a must try.

The picture speaks about itself

When I reached the pancakes I was so full but I couldn’t resist it and I ate it all.

It was super yummy delicious…

You must order it if you like pancakes!

You should check out Pantry Cafe at Bay Square in Business Bay whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner.